Railway dump car



Sept. 29, 1959 J. BONANNO RAILWAY DUMP CAR 3 Sheets-Sheet l- Filed Oct. 24, 1956 l N VEN TO R dasgnv Z. fawn/N0 I P 1959 J. L. BONANNO 0 RAILWAY DUMP CAR Filed Oct. 24, 1956 a 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 9E. Tlzlii. 8 121-7.

42W I MW 2 6 T'Hzy. /4 22 INVENTOR Z/OSEPH A. fxoAm/v/va 2,906,213 1C Patented Sept. 29, 1959 RAILWAY DUMP CAR Joseph L. Bonanno, South Orange, NJ., assignor to The Lionel Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application October 24, 1956, Serial No. 617,998

9 Claims. (Cl. 105-468) This invention relates to toy vehicles and more specifically to an improved vehicle body and means for remotely operating movable elements on said body.

One object of the invention resides in the provision of an improved vehicle body having individual trays or other article retaining means and means for individually operating said trays from a remote location to remove the contents thereof by gravity.

Another object of the invention resides in a novel and improved operating mechanism actuated by a series of electric pulses for selectively operating individually movable members such as individual dump trays on a vehicle body and return tray or member to its normal position before operating the next member.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of novel and improved dump trays and means for mounting them on a vehicle body for individual operation. The trays and mounting means further include an improved structure for adjusting hinged side members to the closed position when the trays are in the normal position and for causing the side members to open when their respective bins or trays are tilted to dump the contents therefrom.

A still further object of the invention resides in an improved ornamental structure for vehicles and other devices including means for attaching it to and securing it in position on such device. While the means for attaching the ornamental structure is particularly useful for top vehicles such as railroad cars and the like, it will become evident that it is equally useful on devices other than toys and toy vehicles.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of a novel and improved cam and cam follower assembly for individually tilting movable elements on a vehicle'or other device that affords a dependable, foolproof and inexpensive structure for moving the elements individually and successively through complete cycles of operation.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings forming part of this application.

In the drawings:

Figs. 1 and 2 are side and plan views, respectively, of one embodiment of the invention with portions broken away to illustrate certain structural features thereof;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end view of Fig. 1 taken in the direction of arrow 3 thereof and illustrates the hinged side member of a bin or tray in a partially open position with the bin horizontal;

Fig. 4 is an end view similar to Fig. 3 showing the adjustment of the hinged side member to the closed position with the bin horizontal;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the bin operating cam and locking means therefor;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of the "central portion of Fig. 1 showing the operation of thec'am to tilt the, left hand bin while leaving the right hand bin in the horizontal position;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the right hand bin tilted and the left hand bin in the horizontal position;

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional viewof Fig. 6 taken along the line 8-8 thereof;

Fig. 9 is a cross sectional view of Fig. 7 taken alon the line 9- -9 thereof; f

Figs. 10 and 11 are plan views of fragmentary parts of Fig. 2 showing the attachment of the ornamental undercarriage;

Fig. 12 is a cross sectional view of Fig. 11 taken along the line 12-12 thereof; and

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of one end of the ornamental undercarriage to illustrate the attaching means. 1

Referring now to the drawings illustrating one form of a toy vehicle in accordance with the invention, the numeral 10 denotes an elongated channel shaped frame member carrying apair of trucks T for engagement with a usual track 11. The frame 10 is further provided with 2 pair of end hand rails 12 and 13 secured to the frame by bracket members 12 and 13' respectively. A pair of movable elements 14 and 15 in the form of bins or trays are disposed to the top side of the frame pivoted to the end rails 12 and 13 and a center support 16 for tilting transversely of the frame. The trays or bins are individually and successively tilted by a composite cam 17 actuated by a drive mechanism generally denoted by the numeral 18 and responsive to a series of electric pulses, as will be described.

The bins or trays 14 and 15 are substantially identical and the bottom 19, end walls 20 and 21 and one side wall 22 of each bin are preferably made in the form of an integral structure. The other side wall 23 of each'bin is attached to the bottom 19 by hinge pins 25' carried by pinion arms 24. These hinged side walls 23 are moved to an open position when the bin is tilted by the cam 17 for discharging the contents thereof by means of an improved gear and cooperating pinion.

More specifically, each side wall 23 of the bins is provided with a pair of pinion arms 24 each having a pinion gear 25. While only one pinion arm 24 is needed for operation of the side wall 23, the utilization of a pair of such arms permits interchangeability of the pins, facilitates manufacture and assembly and form the hinge supports for the side wall. The bins 14 and 15 are pivotally attached to the frame 10 and end rails 12 and 13 by end rail pivot pins 26 and a central pin 27 carried by the center support 16. These pins engage cooperating recesses 28 in the bin end walls 20 and 21 and are spaced inwardly from the open side of the bin. The central pin 27 is held in place on the center support '16 by a tab 16' rolled over the pin 27. Longitudinal displacement of the pin 27 is prevented by an integral collar 27' on pin 27. The tab 16 thus cooperates with the collar 27 to lock the bins in place on the frame 10 between the end rails 12 and 13.

In order to cause the hinged side members 23 to open when their respective bins are tilted about the pivots 26 and 27, each end pivot 26 is provided with a gear 29 meshing with the associated pinion 25. The gears 29 are normally stationary, but are angularly adjustable by L-shaped levers 30 secured thereto and engaging an arcuate slot 31 in the end rails 12 and 13. Theoperation of the gears 29 and pinions 25 will be observed more clearly in Figs. 3 and 4. In Fig. 3 the gear 29 is positioned so that the side wall 23 is partially open when the bin 15 is in the normal horizontal position. By moving the gear 29 clockwise to the position shown in Fig. 4, the hinged side wall or door 23 will be closed when the bin is horizontal. With the hinged side walls in the properly adjusted position, as the bins are tilted about their pivots, the pinions 25 will rotate about the fixed gears 29, causing the side walls to open as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. It will also be observed from the foregoing arrangement of elements that the axis of the pivots 26 and 27 is closer to the movable side wall of each bin than to the fixed side wall, so that the major part of the weight of each bin functions to hold the associated movable side wall in the closed position. When the bins 14 and 15 are loaded, the weight is supported by the cam followers 32 or 33, as will become evident from the following description of these members, and the movable side walls will be maintained firmly in the closed positions.

Tilting of the bins 14 and 15 is accomplished by the rotation of the composite cam 17 and cooperating cam followers 32 and 33 formed integrally with the bins. With the bins as shown in Fig. 1, the cam follower 33, which is spaced from the inner edge of bin 14, cooperates with the surface 34 of cam 17 while the cam follower 32 on the edge of bin 15 cooperates with the cam surface 35. The arrangement of the cam followers in this way and the use of a composite cam 17 facilitates wholly independent and successive operation of each bin as the cam 17 is rotated and permits interchangeability of the bins.

The operation of cam 17 to tilt the bins 14 and 15 is shown in Figs. 6 through 9. In Figs. 6 and 8 the cam 17 has been rotated so that the cam surface 34 has tilted bin 14 to its maximum slope while bin 15 remains horizontal. In Figs. 7 and 9 the bin 15 is tilted while the bin 14 is horizontal. It will be observed in these figures and particularly Figs. 6 and 9 that the cam follower 33 of bin 14 is released to permit the bin 14 to return to the horizontal position before the lifting operation of bin 15 is started. The same action obtains in the operation of bin 15 so that one bin is moved through a complete cycle before the other bin is operated.

The electromechanical device 18 for rotating the cam 17 is disposed within the housing 36. It includes a plunger type magnet having a coil 37, a plunger 38 and a pawl 39 carried by the plunger. The pawl 39 is attached to the plunger 38 by a pivot pin 40 that extends downwardly to engage a slot 41 in the bottom of housing 36 to limit the throw of the plunger and pawl. The ratchet 42 for cooperation with the pawl 39 is preferably formed integrally with the cam 17 and they are rotatably supported by a vertical shaft 43, the lower end of which engages a socket member 44 secured to the bottom of the housing 36. In order to hold the pawl 39 in engagement with the ratchet wheel, a spring 45 is connected between the pawl and the end wall 36' of the housing 36, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2.

With the cam operating structure as described above, as the magnet 37 is energized by successive pulses of electrical energy, the ratchet wheel 42 and cam 17 are rotated in steps to first raise and lower one bin and then raise and lower the other bin, thereby affording maximum play value. Energy may be supplied to the magnet 37 in any desired manner, as by the connection of the coil to contact members 46 carried by the trucks T and adapted to engage auxiliary rails 47 of the track 11 that are disposed between the load bearing outer rails 48, 49 and the center rail 50. Periodic application of energy to the rails 4747 when the contactors 46 on the vehicle are in engagement with the rails 47-47 will operate the cam driving means as described above.

In the event it is desired to prevent operation of the cam 17, the latter is provided with at least one notch 51 to receive a tab 52 carried by locking lever 53 pivoted at 54 to the frame 10. When the cam 27 is locked as shown in Fig. 5, application of energy to the coil 37 will tend to operate the plunger, but the locked cam will prevent the plunger 38 from moving beyond the point of engagement of the pawl 39 with the ratchet wheel 4 2.

,4 In order to simulate a real dump car, the frame 10 is provided with an under frame or under carriage 55 in the form of a hollow housing. This housing is secured to the frame 10 by a pair of horizontal plate members or tabs 56 on each end of the housing and having the side edges recessed as indicated at 57 (see Fig. 13). The frame 10 is provided with a pair of T-shaped cooperating openings 58 and 59 shown in Figs. 2, 10 and 11. To attach the under frame 55, the tabs 56 are inserted in the larger portion of the openings 58 and 59 as shown in Fig. 10. Then the housing 55 is shifted to the left to assume the position shown in Figs. 2 and 11 with the recessed parts 57 in engagement with the smaller portions of the openings 58 and 59. The housing 55 is then held in position by a tab or stop 60 that is bent upwardly to prevent shifting of the housing 55 out of engagement with the smaller portions of the openings 58 and 59.

While only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the form of a dump car for toy railroads, it is understood that the novel and improved features thereof may be used for other types of toys and devices and that changes and alterations may be made without departing from the true scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising a wheeled frame member, a plurality of dump bodies pivotally mounted on said frame member and movable into a tilting dumping position, elevating means on said frame member located adjacent the end portions of adjacent body members for sequentially tilting said dump bodies, said elevating means comprising a lifting means movable into lifting contact with said dump bodies in predetermined sequential order, and means for controlling the actuation of said elevating means.

2. A toy according to claim 1 wherein said elevating means includes a cam member arranged to move into contact with a portion of each of said dump bodies to raise said dump bodies into a tilting position.

3. A toy according to claim 2, wherein said cam member includes two cams coaxially rotatably mounted.

4. A toy comprising a frame, means on said frame for effecting its movement along the ground, a plurality of dump body members each including one wall which is pivotally rotatable between an upright closing position and a downwardly extending opened position, said dump body members being pivotally mounted on said frame and movable into a tilting position, elevating means on said frame located adjacent the end portions of adjacent body members for sequentially tilting said dump bodies, said elevating means comprising a lifting means movable into lifting contact with said dumping bodies in predetermined sequential order, means on said body for automatically opening said wall as said body is tilted and for closing said wall when said body is returned to a level position, and means for controlling the actuation of said tilting means.

5. A toy railroad car comprising a main frame mounted on a set of wheels, at least two dump body members pivotally mounted on said frame and movable into a tilting dumping position thereon, elevating means on said frame located adjacent the end portions of adjacent body members for sequentially tilting said dump body members, said elevating means comprising a lifting means movable into lifting contact with said dumping bodies in predetermined sequential order, and means for controlling the actuation of said tilting means.

6. A toy railroad car according to claim 5, wherein said dump body members include at least one wall which is pivotally mounted on each of said dump body members and movable between an opened and a closed position, and means for automatically moving said wall into an opened position upon tilting of said dump body members and returning it to a closed position when said dump body members are returned to a level position.

7. A toy railroad car according to claim 6, wherein said tilting means includes a cam member arranged to move into contact with said dump body members to raise said dump body members to' a tilting position.

8. A toy railroad car according to claim 7, including a solenoid mounted on said frame, a plunger movable in said solenoid and connected to said cam members for incremental rotation thereof in response to each actuation of said solenoid.

9. A toy railroad car according to claim 8, including means for locking said cam members against rotation whereby actuation of said solenoid is ineffectual.

Brimmer Mar. 28, 1871 6 Robinson Dec. 31, Jones Jan. 27, Newburg May 3, Wortmen Jan. 5, Wajer et a1. Apr. 17, Van Ryzin Sept. 22, Brown Dec. 1, Hick July 10, Pettit July 7,

FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Feb. 2, Germany Apr. 9, Great Britain July 21, 

